


Royals

by lemonzesty



Category: Original Work
Genre: Boyfriends, But a little bit bc I don’t know much about it, Eventual Fluff, Fantasy, Kinda?, M/M, Magic, Multi, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Domestic Violence, Past Relationship(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Princes & Princesses, Royalty, Slow Burn, Unhealthy Relationships, Witches, eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:40:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24751762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonzesty/pseuds/lemonzesty
Summary: Orion Adler, Prince of Verselles, spends his time living in a tiny cabin on the outskirts of the Kingdom. Banished from the castle, he’s on his own. Or is he? After an encounter with a charismatic witch, Koda, and his peculiar cat, Orion found himself pulled into the world of magic, where demons and other forest creatures await for their next pray. However, something, or rather, someone, even more dangerous is lurking in the shadows, waiting for his turn to strike. Full of secrets, forgotten pasts and betrayals, can Orion and Koda make it to the end? Or will their differences prove that anything between witches and humans will never be able to last?
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character, Orion Adler/Koda Hutchins
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, hello! This is a repost of my work that was previously called “It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Cursed”, but I decided to change the name and repost it because I made a few changes here and there. If you’re new, then don’t worry about it, you’re at the right place! I hope you enjoy the story. Feel free to leave a comment and please consider leaving a kudos!

** Orion **

There was a ripple in the bushes. The snapping of a twig. The sound of fallen leaves crunching under fast footsteps. Aware and alert, Orion gripped the handle of his scruffy, handmade dagger.

He noticed movement, and steel grey eyes were trained onto a particular spot in the thickets. A cat came into view, with a graceful surge it broke free of the twisting and tangling mess of leaves and branches, landing on a patch of moonlit grass and began grooming its fur. Orion stared for a moment. This white cat had a certain aura of elegance. The dark blue silk collar hidden under a thick layer of fur caught Orion’s eye and he moved to examine the silver tag dangling from it.

_“Blanca.”_

He felt the wind on his back, and before the attacker could land a blow, Orion leapt out of range. With the cat—presumably Blanca—still purring under the moonlight, Orion stood face to face with a creature of the night. Mysterious and silent, the figure stood with a black mask over his eyes and nose. Golden patterns decorated the mask, resembling a cat. Earrings hung in an abundance on his ears, and shimmering beads decorated his wrists. A real, living, breathing witch. Blanca moved to perch herself on the witch’s shoulder.

They both stood, the moon now covered by a passing cloud. Orion’s hand slipped back onto the handle of his dagger and the witch seemed to notice. His eyes flashed to Orion’s hand, wrapping around the weapon slowly.

In one swift motion, Orion pinned the boy to a tree. The witch’s head slammed painfully onto the thick trunk and it shook leaves off the branches. As the faded yellow leaves fell around them, Orion pressed the dagger to the witch’s throat.

“Go ahead,” the witch said, his voice silky and hushed. A daring look came from his eyes, the two multicoloured irises sparkled with a mischievous glint. “Kill me.”

The green and purple eyes pierced through him. In that split second Orion stopped moving, the witch faded to mist. He stepped back and the cloud moved away. 

The twinkle of a bell sounded from behind him. Blanca strolled into view again. _He’s still here._ He gripped his dagger tighter. All was still until mist began rolling in. A gust of wind zipped past Orion, a sharp whistle and a dull smack followed as it knocked the dagger out of his hand. He his heart rate quickened as he turned to see a blue arrow impaled onto the tree behind him before feeling a small trickle of blood on his cheek. The red rolled down his face like a teardrop.

The witch emerged atop a large branch. “I don’t think you really want to kill me,” he said, tapping his fingers against his bow. It dissolved into a golden sand, and blew away in the wind.

Orion couldn’t bring himself to do it. The guild offered a substantial sum of money, but to kill for it? Orion would never.

“I don’t.” He said, wiping the small cut under his eye. The blood still dripped onto the grass nonetheless.

“You’re a hunter from Verselles?”

Orion gave the witch a pointed look. “Verselles has less hunters than you think.” Orion spoke as he turned to pick up his dagger. Blanca purred as she rubbed against his leg.

The witch clicked his tongue, making a _tsk_ sound. He crossed his arms and legs. “You know how dangerous the Sanbella Woods are, right? Didn’t your mother tell you not to talk to strangers?”

Orion frowned at the mention of his mother. “And you? Do you often make small talk with people crossing Sanbella?”

The witch chuckled, a soft laugh echoed from the tree branch. He watched with amusement as Orion stroked the cat’s soft fur, scratching behind the ears and under the chin. It wasn’t long before they heard the dawn bell ring.

Their heads snapped up in unison as the bell struck once, twice, three times. Then again. The break of dawn sent a chill in the atmosphere. The forest seemed much darker, now that the moon was too far gone to give light, and the sun had not yet risen. Around them, the silence was deafening.

“Blanca,” The witch urged. Blanca turned away from Orion almost reluctantly, but scaled the tree and leapt onto her master’s shoulder anyway.

He turned to Orion with a hint of magic at his palms. “‘Till next time.” 

Orion stood in a trance as the witch disappeared with the passing breeze.

——

Orion wandered through the maze of fabric stalls selling various goods and made his way to the Adventurers Guild. The overhead clock ticked as he stood in front of the door, clutching a bag of healing flowers and whatnot. The fabric drapes moved with the wind and the drooping vines rustled. He took a deep breath before pushing open the wooden door and walked in, past the ivory pillars with intricate patterns covering them.

The liveliness of the building hit Orion like a slap across the face as he stepped inside. It was a tall circular room, which gave the impression of standing at the bottom of a well. Slats of warm orange light came through the stained windows, and the mechanical whirr of the clock was prominent no matter where Orion stood. Tapestries of the royal emblem, A sun and a moon, hung from the high ceiling, intertwined with cascading lights. A circular counter stood in the centre, with a dozen employees measuring out rewards, offering new quests or taking in requests. 

Very uncomfortable with the sudden burst of energy, Orion wanted to cash in and leave so he could hurry to the blacksmith.

“Hey, hey!” Lance laughed. “If it isn’t my favourite prince.”

His gravelly voice blended in with the noise of the crowds. Lance’s fluorescent orange bandana peaked over the top of the parties of people, and Orion shuffled through the grand hall to get to it. The guild worker’s uniform was a ridiculous red pinstripe shirt and a black apron with golden buckles. It was an eyesore.

“Watch it,” Orion warned as he shoved the leather pouch into his gloved hand.

Lance only laughed again.

Orion had been booted and banished from the castle as the crown prince for unexplained reasons. The Adler family reigned over Verselles with an iron fist since the start of time. Orion had been sheltered his entire life since the King died; so much so that none of the citizens had ever seen what their prince looks like. Orion shuddered at the thought. His mother was ruthless.

Lance found out by a stroke of bad luck. Orion had forgotten to tuck his pendant in, and Lance managed to catch a glimpse of the royal heirloom dangling from Orion’s neck. A teal gem with a detailed sun carved into it by a meticulous craftsman, passed on through generations. It was the symbol of the royal family.

“I mean it.”

“Aw, don’t be so cold.” Lance took the pouch and placed it on a scale. He threw his thick rubber gloves over his shoulder as he waited for the dial to display the its weight.

Orion sighed before slumping onto the stool in front of the counter.

“And how about that _other_ quest?” Lance asked as he turned to the wall of drawers behind him. His ponytail swished behind him every time he moved, Orion followed it with his eyes as it swung left and right. Behind the counter was a floor to ceiling pillar covered in drawers filled with everything one could think of.

“I just— _can’t_ , Lance. I can’t kill anyone that’s done nothing wrong.” He made sure to ignore the swinging ponytail as Lance turned.

The redhead nodded in agreement and leaned over the polished countertop. “I think this entire “ _witch hunting”_ is all bullshit–” his voice ducked down to a whisper–“they’re just trying to fool us, I know it.”

Orion groaned, smiling. “She’s full of secrets.”

“But–“ he dropped a bag of coins in front of him–“I don’t make the rules.” He wiped his hands on the his uniform apron.

“Seriously?” Orion looked in awe as he opened the bag. “This is much more than I expected.”

Lance winked. 

“I owe you one, bud,” Orion said as he slipped out of the stool and scurried out of the guild, away from the loud voices and crowded hall.

The town wasn’t much different. The hood of his brown cloak was pulled over his head as he trotted along with the flow of the crowd. The busy streets were packed with people rushing to one place or another. The tall houses and shopfronts left a narrow slit for a view of the sky, and rows of lanterns strung on thin wire swung in the cooling breeze above the pedestrians.

The telltale _clinks_ of the blacksmith could be heard, and the shop came to view. Steam rose in thin plumes from within. A man with an impressive beard sat before an anvil.

“Excuse me,” Orion greeted. He didn’t take his hood off, as the shopfront was open to the street. “I’m here for a sword.”

The burly shop keeper looked up from the anvil. He grunted in response, and rose to look through the various weapons. He picked up a longsword from a rack crammed to the side and handed it to Orion.

The silver-blue blade glinted as Orion moved his hand. Golden patterns adorned the blade like vines climbing upwards.

Orion sheathed the sword in a brown leather scabbard. The shopkeeper had already returned to his anvil, and gestured with his head to the table beside him. He placed the coins on the tabletop and fastened the sword to his back. He slipped back into the crowd when the next wave of people swept by.

He lowered his head when he turned the corner, where three guards sat on wooden crates. The smell of cheep alcohol and spirits hung in the air, and the guards had their sabres resting against the brick wall behind them. Orion made a mental note to bring that up to the queen. In the meantime, he felt a little more weight lift from his shoulders.

——

The prince slammed the door open, nearly tearing out the dainty bell above it. Lance’s second job at the rundown cafe meant little business and small income, therefore warranting frequent visits from Orion. Both for accompaniment and at least one customer. It wasn’t unusual for Orion to burst into the shop unannounced—although today his wrath on the door was noticeably more violent.

“Lance!” He called, blowing his overgrown hair out of his eyes.

Lance didn’t bother to look up as he continued wiping the countertops. “Watch it with the door, Orion. I don’t get paid enough to fix it.”

“We need to talk.”

“You sound like Bea.” He shuddered.

“I’m being serious.”

“Talk, then.”

The shop was completely void of customers, much to Lance’s disappointment. Orion shook his head. “In the back.”

“You know that’s not allowed.”

“Please.”

Only then did Lance finally look up, seeing Orion’s determined eyes he huffed in defeat. It wasn’t like he put up much of a fight anyway. He opened the door and invited Orion in to the back room.

“What?” He asked once the door was shut.

Orion rolled up his sleeve, and Lance leaned it to see a pure black pattern imprinted on his arm. “This.”

Lance took Orion’s wrist and examined the mark. The circular pattern adorned with runes and glyphs in a foreign tongue. “What’s this?”

“If I knew I wouldn’t be here,” Orion snapped with impatience. His face twisted into a look of frustration as mumbled under his breath. Lance looked at him expectingly. Orion pursed his lips before breathing a sigh. “I talked with the witch—”

“You _what_?” Lance’s entire body jerked forward.

Orion froze, admittedly a little shocked. Lance’s usual calm demeanour completely replaced with a frenzied yell, it caught Orion off guard.

“I talked with...the witch?” His answer sounded more like a question.

Lance pinched the bridge of his nose. “When was this?”

“A week or so.” Some time had passed, and Orion couldn’t recall exactly when the encounter occurred.

“Does it hurt?”

“No.”

“Does anything feel different?”

Orion paused to think, then responded with a small, “no.”

“This is probably the dumbest thing you’ve ever done, and that’s saying something.”

Orion furrowed his brows. “Will I be okay?”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Perhaps Lance felt a smidge of sympathy for the younger boy, his reassurance lifted a heavy weight off Orion’s shoulder, even if it didn’t resolve anything.

“But I think maybe you should find the...” his sentence trailed off as the back room door opened with a creak much similar to nails scratching down a blackboard. They both winced. Lance’s boss strolled in with her arms crossed across her chest in discontent. The young lady shook her head and jerked her thumb towards the door. 

“Out, Orion,” Bea said sternly. She knew about Orion only because of Lance’s loose tongue. Once he was started, Lance would not stop talking. Bea, of course, was much more careful, and was now keeping Lance in check. 

Orion pulled his sleeve back down as he shuffled pass Bea and out of the room, mumbling a small sorry as he stepped out. His hood was tugged back over his head.

“Wait up,” Lance called from behind him. He leapt over the counter as Bea took over the register. The door creaked and groaned, shutting behind the two.

“Your shift is over?”

“No, but Bea let me off,” he said with a smile.

“Come to the tavern with me, then.”

“You’re paying.”

Orion huffed. “Fine.”

The streets were fairly empty, save for the students loitering outside the confectionary stands, and a few guards around the corner. Girls and boys laughed and gossiped amongst each other, their school shirts untucked and ties and bows loosened for room to breathe once they escaped from the beady eyes of teachers.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, Orion stepped into the tavern with Lance following suit. They sat at the furthest table to the back, and Orion tugged on his hood nervously. The tavern was—unsurprisingly—empty, they had maybe an hour before the dusk bell. The barmaid looked bored as she drummed her fingers against the wooden bar that stretched across the entire back wall. Lanterns hung from the high ceiling beams like stars.

Orion, being too young to drink, settled on apple juice whilst Lance took a swig from his beer. He felt childish, drinking juice from a blue paper straw.

“Shut up,” he hissed as he saw the smug look on Lance’s face. 

“I didn’t say anything,” Lance said, still smiling.

Orion bit the end of his straw until it became so mangled that it only allowed small drops of juice to pass through.

“Anyway,” Lance said quietly as he put down the mug. “I think you should go find them again.”

Orion snorted as he sipped his drink and muffled his choking coughs. “Do you _want_ me to die?” He slammed his glass onto the table, causing more ruckus than necessary. Thankfully, it wasn’t deemed important enough to catch anyone’s attention.

“We don’t even know what the mark is, if anything, it’s probably more safe to find them.” Lance crossed his arms, carful to avoid saying ‘witch’.

“Key word, _probably_.”

The other shrugged. “That’s my suggestion.”

Orion flicked the soggy straw, sending juice flying over the hardwood table. His mind raced through the possibilities of his decisions. Orion propped his head up with his arms and swirled his drink lazily, the vibrating hum of the dusk bell struck through the town as people began to file in. The hazy sunset ducked behind Sanbella, leaving the warm autumn night to take it’s place. The multicoloured lanterns flickered to life as the chatter rose. 

“So, are you gunna do it?” Lance asked as he finished the last of the lager.

“I...yeah. There’s nothing else I can do, right?” He stood, placing both hands onto the table and pushed himself out of the seat. He hurled a coin at Lance before stepping out of the tavern.

“Don’t die,” Lance called, his voice bright and happy, as if to cheer Orion on.

He smiled to himself. “I’ll try.”

The evening air was warm and the moon began to rise, casting a silver glow upon the land. Footsteps were heavy against the paths as Orion headed back into Sanbella. He found his breathing to be more ragged than normal, and he clutched the clasp of his cloak tightly. The night was not cold, not at all, yet a shiver still travelled down his spine as he stepped across the threshold from Verselles into Sanbella Woods. From human territory to witch.

The wind carried orange leaves as it blew.The rustle of it filled the area, the only other noise being the distant voices of the city centre, still very much awake, even after the bell had struck. 

He heard a soft crunch of pinecones and jolted. His hand immediately reached for the handle of his dagger, which had been discarded long ago. He his heart dropped before realising. He then moved to grip his blade on his back, yet his actions were stopped midway. The bushes parted, and a cat landed before him. She sat tall with a sense of pride, her luminous blue eyes scrutinising Orion. Slowly, he lowered his hand back to his side.

A great crack sounded from deeper into the trees, much similar to a clap of thunder. Orion’s foot caught on a pebble and landed on his backside. His heart pounded in his chest as he sat on the grass with wide eyes, barely registering the pain of tripping.

“Are you alright?” A small, breathy voice uttered beside him. Orion turned to see a young girl crouched on the roots of a large tree. She wore a satin blue collar and a crisp, white dress. Silk ribbons wove around her arms and draped around her small, frail frame. Orion fumbled clumsily. At a loss for words, he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.

“Oh,” she said, standing and scratching at her neck. “I believe I haven’t introduced myself properly. My name is Blanca.”

Silence ensued, where Orion sat like a statue with bafflement written across his face. Blanca covered her mouth with a pale hand as she giggled, the silver bell twinkling from her collar. “There’s no need to be wary, I’m a familiar.”

Orion barely managed to gather his scattered thoughts. “So you, um, you’re the...cat?”

“To put it simply, yes.”

A dim light shone from a distance. From where Orion was sitting, it looked like ribbons dancing through the sky. It crackled like a campfire, showering the forest with a colourful glow. He had an irresistible urge to get closer, like a moth, he felt drawn to the dazzling purple and green. As he neared the light source, he noticed a figure within the streaks of colour.

“That’s Koda.”

In the middle of it all was the raven haired, cat-mask wearing witch he’d intended to find.

The ribbons of green and purple twisted and coiled around the witch—Koda. The light escaped from his open palms, his unruly black hair was blowing wildly in the wind he was creating, turning up dirt and rocks from the earth below. The light rose from around him and towards the sky. Koda looked at peace until the streams began to merge, on his left, the green interlocked with the purple to his right. Further into the night sky the ribbons danced and Orion watched with amazement until he heard a strangled noise from the witch.

The light faded to nothing, and the wind dropped all the nature it had picked up, some of it landing onto the witch. Koda took in deep breaths before dusting off his grey button up, the multicoloured bracelets on his wrists shimmering.

“Blanca,” he said. “Are we clear?”

“Yes, Sir. But the charm is incomplete.”

He groaned. “Yes, thank you for reminding me.”

Blanca’s smiled mockingly with her hands behind her back in feign innocence. 

“And I see the not-a-witch-hunter hunter is here.” His body whipped around to meet Orion, he scanned him up and down from behind the mask, sniggering at his own joke.

“Orion is your name, correct?” Koda continued once he realised Orion wasn’t going to say anything. Orion fought back a flinch. Of course the witch would know his name. He’s a witch. Koda twirled his necklace around his finger as he spoke, the crescent moon charm sparkling. “Whatever it is, I’m only here to warn you.”

That had piqued Orion’s interest. He crossed his arms and tilted his head. 

“A demon marked you, and you’re being targeted.”

“What?” Orion blurted before realising he had broken his quiet facade.

“It’s coming for you.”

“Excuse me?”

“That is all I have to say.” He turned to leave.

“Hey!” Orion snapped, which caused him to turn in surprise. His yell echoed through the forest. “What are you talking about?”

“It is partially your fault, sir,” Blanca pipped up.

Koda quirked his brows. “Okay look, it was kind of my fault, but—“

“It really was completely your fault, sir.”

“Blanca!” Koda placed the back of his hand to his forehead and sighed dramatically.

“ _Please,_ ” Orion groaned in annoyance. “And the mark? Is that the black thing on my arm?”

The witch tapped his chin in thought before turning to Orion again. “Come with me and I promise I’ll explain.”

He gestured for Orion to follow. 

“Answer my question.”

“Not here.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

Blanca shifted back to a cat and padded onto Koda’s shoulder. He placed two fingers to his lips and a let out a shrill whistle. A broomstick zipped past Orion, narrowly missing his head and stopped abruptly in front of Koda.

“This mark, is it dangerous?” Orion was determined to get at least a little information.

“I mean, it’s been quite a while, and you haven’t died yet.”

Orion glared daggers at the witch, his patients running thin. “Why did you wait so long to tell me?”

The witch fidgeted with his necklace. “I was busy, y’know, brewing potions, casting spells, making sure I don’t get _killed_ every other day.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

Orion stood, slightly dumbfounded and not entirely sure how to respond. The silence stretched on to be somewhat awkward and uncomfortable.

“So, will you help me?” He finally asked.

“If you come with me.”

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” He was sceptical and slightly suspicious. He eyed the broomstick with worry.

Koda smiled. “You don’t. You’ll just have to trust me.”

He held out his hand, waiting for Orion to take it.

“And what if I don’t?”

“You might die.”

“I can’t just go with you.”

“No answers for you, then.”

Orion clenched his fist, the witch was being difficult and Orion was more than a little irritated. “You’re a witch.”

“Good observation.”

“I can’t trust you.”

Koda hummed as he nodded his head. “But you value your life, yes? I’ll help you get rid of the mark, but only if you come with me.”

He stretched out his hand and offered it to Orion.

After a moment of thought, he took it, albeit reluctantly, and was lead onto the broom. He shuffled awkwardly as Koda climbed on with ease.

“You might want to hold on, pumpkin.”

Orion felt a surge of heat rush to his face. “As if—” yet he didn’t get a chance to finish before Koda roughly kicked off the ground. 

Orion yelped as he shifted off balance. Immediately forgetting his previous comment, he latched onto Koda’s waist and clenched his eyes shut, not daring to let go. His cheeks were dusted in a light shade of pink and felt Koda laugh as they ascended into the sky.

“Scared of heights?” Koda asked.

Orion managed to open one eye, as he opened his mouth to reply, he noticed the splatter of stars in the sky. He opened his other eye and looked in awe at the twinkling diamonds in the vast darkness. 

“Not really,” he breathed. “I didn’t think witches actually used broomsticks.”

“It’s a tradition.”

They soared over the town, dim lanterns dotted the area. Orion looked down to see the mossy, cracked path to his house, and the ruins of where it used to be. His home was demolished, the wood charred black and broken to pieces. His hold seemed to loosen, because he felt himself fall as the broomstick lowered. 

“Woah!” Koda grabbed Orion’s arm and yanked him back on. “Who said you could let go?”

No reply came. Although Orion did tighten his grip around Koda as they lowered back into Sanbella Woods. The wind was so cold, his face grew numb as they landed.

Orion touched down onto the grass with a gentle thud and both jumped off the broom, which then proceeded to zip away behind the small house amidst the trees. Covered in moss, the home looked as if it were abandoned, with vines and leaves climbing up the walls, although the turquoise and maroon tapestries hanging above the doorway looked well kept and clean. A wooden bench sat to the right of the doorway, completed with yellow and red cushions thrown on carelessly. Two large, arching windows stood on either side of the entrance, which was hidden away in the corner, past the fabric draped over it.

“C’mon,” Koda called as he lifted the tapestry. “I said I’d explain, right?”

Blanca leapt from Orion’s shoulder and trotted inside with him following behind. The wind chime beside the door twinkled as Koda shut it behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

** Orion **

The home felt so different. Every corner of the house was filled with personal items, trinkets, charms, everything. The moonlight poured in through the large windows, casting light upon the tall shelves stocked with glass bottles and dusty leather bound books. Crystals attached to the tall ceiling hung down, emitting a faint purple glow. A glass dome roof could be seen in the right corner of the room with plants and flowers in white clay pots placed in disordered rows. To the back of the room was a simple yellow sofa on top of a circular rug with an odd circular symbol. Orion didn’t question it.

“Have a seat.” Koda gestured to the sofa. “Want anything to drink?”

“No, thanks.”

“I’ll get to the point then.”

Koda moved to lean against the dark brown cupboard to the left of the sofa.He crossed his arms and took in a deep breath.

“The first time we met,” he began. “I was chasing after a demon that managed to slip out.”

Blanca—whom was now sitting cross legged next to Orion—snickered, which Koda ignored. “I ran into you, and, I-uh, forgot about the demon.” 

Orion gave Koda an ice-cold glare, to which he put up his hands in defence. “Look, you’re the first person I’ve talked to in a while, and Blanca gets really annoying.”

Blanca only stuck out her tongue.

“Anyway, while we were talking, the demon seemed to—and as weird as this sounds—take a liking to you...I guess. And it...ah, it marked you as a target.

“It went to your home and wrecked it whilst I was tracking it down. It was trying to find you and eat you...probably.” Koda shrugged.

“So you’re telling me that I have no home now.”

“That would be correct.”

“And it’s _your_ fault?”

“Also correct.”

Orion tried to speak again, but only to be interrupted by Koda. “I’ll have you know I did _not_ do it on purpose.”

Orion was irked by Koda’s mockingly sarcastic and mischievous personality. It seemed the witch had little care in the dilemma he had put Orion in.

“Considering it’s my fault,” Koda added, noticing Orion’s deathly expression. “I’ll help you get rid of it.”

“Of what?”

“The mark.”

Orion ran his thumb over it, a warm sensation shot through his arm, causing him to flinch and withdraw his hand. “How long would it take?”

“A few weeks, maybe?” Koda tapped his chin in thought. “To be honest, I don’t really work much with curses and whatnot.”

“So you’ve never done this before?”

There was a brief silence where no one spoke, and the atmosphere around them grew tense.

“No.”

Orion opened his mouth to speak, growing more frustrated by the minute, but Koda cut in before he could say anything.

“I know someone, though,” he said. “She can help.”

Orion crossed his arms, the mark on his skin tingling and warm. 

“It’s too late now, but I’ll find her tomorrow, I promise.”

Orion sighed. Trusting a witch is the last thing he should do, but as of now, the options were scarce. He looked back down to his arm. The home was warm and inviting, yet Orion still felt an odd chill down his spine.

“Can I take a look at that?” Koda asked quietly now that silence fell upon the house.

Cautiously, Orion extended his arm to Koda, who was now crouched down in front of the couch.

Gently, Koda ran his hand over the mark. Purple and green eyes sparkled like gems as he studied the black pattern covering Orion’s arm. The sun began to peak behind the pine trees outside, and Orion felt himself growing drowsy. There was a comfortable quiet between them. A sense of familiarity. The tips of Koda’s fingers began to emit a soft light as he drew a pattern above the demon’s mark.

“It’s a protective rune.” Koda’s voice grew softer after noticing Blanca dozing on the sofa. “It’ll mask the aura for now.”

A two toned rune formed and appeared onto his skin, the purple faded into green, and it looked even brighter against the dark black.

“You might feel a little tired, the charm does use up your energy.”

Orion felt more than a little tired. He struggled to keep his eyes open and his arm, previously tense, grew slack in Koda’s grip.

“Can I trust you, Koda?” He asked, at this point, he was barely awake.

Koda smiled. “You know my name.”

Orion nodded weakly. Before Koda could answer his question, he fell forward, already unconscious. His head fell onto Koda’s shoulder as his entire weight was shifted forwards. Koda caught Orion as he fell, and placed him back onto the couch carefully. He unstrapped the sword from his back and removed the brown cloak draped over him, setting them down on the floor beside him. He removed his mask after making sure Orion was asleep and threw a blanket over him. Blanca had shifted back into a cat and proceeded to clamber on top of Orion and rested her head on his chest.

Koda clicked his tongue. “Stupid cat,” he mumbled. Koda tore his eyes away from the sleeping figure, he placed the mask on the stand beside Orion and left him alone. 

Orion reminded him of something he couldn’t quite place his finger on. Like a word at the tip of his tongue. There was a feeling of deja vu that he couldn’t shake. 

With a click of a finger the lights dimmed, and the night was silent, as always.

——

The gentle pitter-patter of rain slowly woke Orion. His head felt groggy and his body felt heavy. 

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Koda said from somewhere beside him. Orion turned to see him sitting on a chair, reading. He wasn’t wearing his mask, and Orion could finally get a look at his face. Black, round-rimmed glasses sat on his small button nose as he flipped the pages of a tattered, dark red book. Orion had never met anyone with multicoloured eyes. It was oddly fascinating. Orion turned away once he noticed Koda looking right back at him.

He sat up slowly, the blanket previously draped over him slipped onto the floor, bringing with it a distraught cat tangled in the fluffy mess. He looked out the window to see grey skies and light rain. A warm sensation on his arm reminded him of the mark, still moving like snakes around his wrist. The rune, which seemed so bright, faded overnight.

“We’ll leave when the rain clears,” Koda said, going back to his book. He didn’t mention that Orion was staring at him, thankfully.

“So you _do_ keep your promises.”

“Who said I wouldn’t?” He pushed the glasses up.

“Every history book I’ve ever read.”

“Is that so?” Koda said sarcastically. “They probably say we’re not human, too.”

“Are you human, then?”

“Do you believe the history books?”

Orion considered this for a moment. Blanca had made her way back onto the couch by this time, and was grooming her fur.

“Not particularly. And I was wondering—” Orion straightened his shirt. “—why are you so nice to me?”

Koda stopped turning the pages. 

“It’s not being nice, Orion, it’s common courtesy.” He pushed his glasses up again.

“Uh-huh.”

“Would you rather I not help you?”

Orion glanced at the mark on his arm. “No.”

“You might want to fix your hair,” Koda suggested as he returned to his page turning. He gestured to the door beside him. Orion pushes the it open slowly and closed it behind him. He heaved a sigh as he leaned against the cold tiles of the bathroom wall.

He ran his hand through his silver hair and attempted to flatten it down. He looked at himself through the mirror, and was surprised at how well rested he looked. He didn’t have bags under his eyes, nor did he have the tired and grumpy expression. He eyed his hair with annoyance, it was in desperate need of a cut, and he often found it getting in his eyes. 

Orion took this moment of silence to think. There was something about Koda that he couldn’t place his finger on, a feeling of sorts that he didn’t understand. Something about the witch left him on edge and confused. He contemplated the situation.

_Am I trusting him too easily?_

He patted a piece of hair flat.

_Why do I trust him, to begin with?_

He splashed some water on his face.

_Is he really safe to be around?_

He was buzzing with questions, and he searched for answers.

_Why does he seem so—_

The impatient knock on the door startled him and snapped him out of his thoughts.

“The rain’s about to clear and we can get going soon,” Koda said from the other side.

Orion opened the door to be greeted by Koda. He didn’t have his glasses on anymore, and his two toned eyes seemed more luminous than before.

Orion moved past Koda and threw his cloak over himself. He watched Koda drift around the room after slinging a tattered beige satchel over his shoulder. He placed a dark purple notebook, pens and a jar of green substance in it.

“Say, why do witches wear masks?” Orion said, eyes landing on the one Koda had on yesterday.

Koda hummed in thought. “It’s a tradition.”

Orion remembered the gallery in the castle. The one that was three doors down from the dining room. Inside, paintings and sculptures lined the walls, and at the end was a glass case. Orion didn’t think he’d ever seen it dirty. The glass was always spotless, and not a single speck of dust could be seen. In it, held a mask. It was a dark blue, with lace and beads sewn on using a golden thread. It resembled a doe, with its pointed ears and golden freckles. His pendant felt warm as it pressed against his skin. 

Koda opened the door and gestured for Orion to follow. Blanca leapt out the door whilst shifting back to cat. Orion watched as her body morphed and twisted into a feline. It was definitely not pleasant to watch.

“Don’t tell me we have to fly again,” Orion asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

Koda chuckled. “Something different today.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

Koda offered his hand to Orion again.

Without any warning, Koda scooped Blanca up from the ground and tightened his grip on Orion’s hand. “Might want to take a breath while you can.” 

“You know, I’m really not loving these suggestions, because last time it didn’t end well for me.”

The multicoloured lights began to surround them, just like the streaks Orion saw in the forest. He looked to see Koda with his eyes shut, looking so detached from the world, yet his firm grip did not loosen as the ribbons of light wrapped closer to them. Orion took Koda’s advice this time, taking in a deep breath as the magic touched his skin, just before the world turned pitch black.

His first reaction was to breathe, but he quickly discovered that he couldn’t. Everything was muffled as if he were underwater, and he could hear a feint beating sound around him. He felt weightless as he drifted in the darkness, and panic began to set in. Everything seemed to be spiralling around him, even if he couldn’t see, he was growing dizzy and disorientated until he felt three firm squeezes from his hand. Then the darkness disappeared.

Orion was suddenly blinded by the light and began coughing as he took in the breaths of air. He still felt drowsy and unstable and let go of Koda’s hand as quickly as possible. He dropped Blanca carefully back onto the stone floor. Orion took a moment to steady himself and look around. They seemed to be in a long alleyway with tall, stone brick walls. A distant light shone at the exit and Orion could hear birds chirping, along with the sound of flowing water.

Finally, he let go of Koda’s hand. Koda gestured for him to follow. They exited through the alleyway into another part of the woods. This time, the ground was covered in moss, and a small creek ran to the right of a cracked and weathered path. Blanca padded down the path next to Koda, with Orion behind them. He pulled his brown cloak closer to his body, feeling a cold shiver wrack through him. 

The mark on his arm felt warm. Warmer than usual. The rest of his body, however, felt ice cold. 

“Koda, I—”

His sentence was left unfinished as something wizzed past his face. He recognised the high-pitched whistle as an arrow that Koda had fired towards him when they first met.

A few paces before him, Koda’s bow was stilled aimed towards Orion. Or rather, to something behind him, Koda’s eyes narrowed as he let out a breath. Orion’s body snapped around in time to hear an ear splitting roar, and a jet black creature howling with an arrow that had pierced one of it’s eyes. The demon looked much like a wolf, with two forelegs and two hind legs. The thing was twice the size, though, and three pure white eyes on it’s pitch black face. It’s translucent body turned to a blue hue, and it enveloped everything in darkness. It snarled with menace and white foam bubbled at its lips. 

“C’mon!” Koda had suddenly grabbed Orion’s wrist in a hurry. “Let’s go!”

They ran. The demon—after a few moments of howling—chased. Orion was pulled along the path by Koda, bow still clutched in one hand. Blanca was a few paces in front and the three of them dashed down the pathway. Orion wasn’t sure exactly where they were headed, but he hoped that Koda’s friend’s place wasn’t much farther. His legs began to ache and his breathing became more sporadic and uneven. A cottage came into view, and Orion continued to be dragged along until the demon stopped. Koda and Orion collapsed onto the well kept grass in front of the cottage, breathing heavily as they watched the demon struggle to get past some sort of invisible barrier.

“You alright?” Koda asked through gasps for breath. His bow was now gone. Orion supposed he had just...magicked the thing away.

“Yeah.” 

“It would be safe to say—” He stood up and patted the dirt off his pants, then helped pull Orion off the ground. “—that that was the demon that marked you.”

Orion rolled his eyes as Koda knocked on the door to the small cottage. Instinctively, Orion crossed his arms over his chest in defence.

A young man opened the door. He looked slightly older than Blanca, with raven black hair and blood red eyes.

“Koda?” His bored expression turned to a smile. His colourless cheeks seem to redden slightly, and Blanca hopped into his arms just in time for her to shift completely. She looped her arms around his neck.

“Hey there, Yuuta. Is Quinn ho—”

“What the hell did you bring, Koda?” A squeaky, childlike voice could be heard from inside the house. Fast paced footsteps echoed as a figure emerged. She pushed past Koda to look at the demon. She had long black hair pulled back into a high ponytail. Her pupils were a lighter shade of red. Her most noticeable feature was, however, the two large, sharp horns protruding from the top of her head and curling back along her skull.

“I see you brought a friend,” she said after stepping back from Koda. She flashed Orion a smile, somehow, it made Orion even more uneasy. “I’m Quinn.”

“Orion.”

She turned back to Koda, jutting a finger out towards him. “You are nothing but trouble.”

She opened the door wider and invited them in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please consider leaving a kudos, comment, or share.


	3. Chapter 3

**Orion**

“So, why did you come?” Quinn asked. “And why did you bring a demon to my door?”

Koda smiled innocently. “I need some help.”

She looked from Koda to Orion, who was admiring the abundance of books stacked neatly on the wooden shelves. “Is it about him?”

“And why would you say that?”

“It’s not often that you bring a friend along,” said Quinn, almost scrutinising Orion. “What is it?”

There was a brief silence, and the only sound that could be heard were the gentle purring from Blanca. Yuuta, now in his animal form as a fuzzy black rabbit, snuggled in close to her side.

“It’s the demon,” Koda finally admitted

Quinn grinned, crossing her arms.

——

The monster roared as it rammed into the barrier protecting Quinn’s home. The bright blue arrow was wedged deep into it’s body, and the translucent, slime texture of the demon allowed small flashes of light to seep through. Koda stood behind Quinn and Orion, observing. Killing a demon was no easy feat, and watching a regular human partake in such a dangerous act gave him an unsettling feeling. Nonetheless, the two stood behind the barrier, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Blanca nudged Koda’s leg upon noticing his distress, he bent down to scoop her up into his arms. He felt his heart rate slow as Blanca worked her own magic. Yuuta sat on Quinn’s head, he placed himself between her horns for stability. If it weren’t for the daunting task they must complete, Koda would’ve laughed.

His attention was brought back to the present. The constant _“pang”_ sound from the barrier being struck became more irregular and sporadic, it grew increasingly louder.

“Ready?” Quinn’s voice seemed so small compared to the deafening roars. She didn’t wait for a reply and took down the protective force around her home with a touch of her hand. Koda watched as Orion clutched his arm, the sudden gusts of wind blowing back his cloak and sent his hair flying wildly. Koda stepped forward after Blanca dug her way into his satchel. The monster stepped back, and after letting out another ear splitting screech, charged forward.

“ ** _You better do your job right,_** _”_ Koda grumbled.

_“_ ** _Same to you,_** _”_ she chirped, her voice clear and crisp as it resonated in his head. It was slightly unnerving. Koda much preferred normal communication methods, but Familial Line was much more convenient when Blanca was a literal cat. 

Koda lifted his hand, palm facing the ferocious beast and felt himself pour everything he had into stopping it from getting any closer. A brilliant green-purple pattern spun into existence as the spell was cast. A simple shield. The bright circle stopped the demon from charging straight into Orion. His feet were planted firmly on the ground, and Koda moved to stand beside him. He felt immense pressure on him, his arm straining and aching from the sheer force of the insatiable monster. He pushed back, determined. He felt Blanca’s magic on him, gentle waves of calm radiated from her. She was finally doing her job right as a familiar. He felt the strong surges of his aura flooding him, overflowing, even. All the noise around him seemed to fade as he poured all his concentration into keeping the monster away. Quinn’s order replayed themselves in his head.

_“Your only job is to stop it from snatching him,” Quinn instructed Koda with a pat on his shoulder. “He’s acting like the bait, and whilst you stop it, I’ll work on sedating it.”_

_“This does not sound good in any way.” Orion bit the nail of his thumb as he spoke._

_“I agree.” Koda pointed to Quinn._

_“It’s not, but it’s the only way,” Quinn shrugged. “You want to get rid of the mark, right?”_

_Orion nodded._

_“Then we have to catch it first.”_

Koda saw it with his own eyes. It happened in an instant, but it felt like time had slowed around him. A small crack in the circle, which then grew, and grew, bigger and bigger. It spread through the entire spell and he felt the pressure on his arm increase. 

It burned and it hurt and Koda fought back the urge to yell in pain as the crack threatened to break his spell. The whole thing shifted and the demon pressed forward, determined to get to its prey standing beside Koda and behind the cracking shield. It was the only thing keeping him safe. Koda pushed on, despite feeling like his arms were being pulled off his body. 

He could see Quinn yelling from a few paces in front of the two and the feeling of Blanca’s magic faded. He pushed on and on and on and on—

Until it shattered.

Like glass, it broke into a million pieces. The fragments of green, purple, and the two swirled together, disappeared into dust upon contact with the ground. 

Koda was frozen still as the beast zipped past him, taking Orion along with it. The wind ruffled his curls and threw up leaves around him. He couldn’t move, nor could he speak. All he could hear was ragged breathing, and he realised it was his own. The wind stopped blowing, and the magic fizzed away.

The monster was suddenly still and unmoving, Orion drifted in its inky mass, eyes darting frantically, arms and legs thrashing to no avail. Koda was in a daze, eyes wide and breathing heavily. His heart pounded and sweat dripped from his forehead. There was a wetness on his cheek, and he couldn’t tell if it was sweat or something else. The pain in his arm faded to a dull throb. It wasn’t until Blanca was pulling at his hand did his vision clear.

Sound returned, and he heard the chirps of the birds, the rushing water in the distance and the dull hum of magic in the air. He rushed over to the pile of black, where Quinn clawed at the slime in attempt to pull Orion out. He stuck his arm through the goo, ignoring the stain on his shirt he looked up to see Orion now with his eyes closed and mouth open. His finger brushed Orion’s arm, and he lunged forward to grab on. Pulling with all his might, he tugged Orion out of the watery substance and fell back onto the grass in attempt to catch his breath, with Orion’s body collapsed onto his.

_It didn’t work._ Koda arms felt too heavy to move. _Of course it didn’t work because I’m only—_

“Koda,” Blanca said. Her voice felt distant. He focused on the sapphire blue eyes looking down at him with worry. He laughed, but it was a choked, breathy laugh that helped drown away the tingling numbness at his fingertips.

“I’m an idiot,” he simply said. He pushed Orion off him weakly.

Koda turned his head, the grass tickling his cheek as he watched Quinn seal the demon away in a glass jar. The clear prison had a bronze cap screwed on tight, and a slip of paper with a guarding rune. The mass of black liquid opened its eyes, all three of them. It sent chills down Koda’s spine. Yuuta glanced back and forth from Blanca to Orion—still unconscious and dripping wet—lying in a lifeless pile.

Slowly, Koda rose from the ground and dusted off his clothes. He hoisted Orion onto his back, groaning under the weight, and trudged inside without uttering another word.

——

_Her smile was homely and her embrace felt safe. Koda could smell her floral perfume as he placed his chin on her shoulder. “Do you have to go?”_

_She smiled as she pulled away. She crouched down to meet his eyes and placed her hand on his cheek._

_“Ko, I’ll be back soon,” she comforted. Koda sniffled. His small hands clutched onto his mother’s on his face. “I know you don’t like being alone, but you have Blanca now.”_

_She pointed to the purring white cat at his feet. “She’ll take care of you.”_

_She shifted the strap of her satchel on her shoulder. Her crescent moon necklace reflected the light and sparkled like stars in the night sky. The seven year old witch rubbed at his eyes as she waved goodbye._

_She disappeared down the path. Koda watched through the window as she left, her yellow sundress blowing in the soft breeze, and her beige satchel pressed against her side._

_Then came a flash of lightning that blinded Koda. He gasped in shock, and sucked in deep breaths as he felt something slam into his chest. An earsplitting boom followed. Koda realised he was no longer in the warm wooden cabin. He stood in the middle of a clearing. His vision was hazed, and his skin felt cold. He was clutching something, it was white and furry, but it was also damp and sticky and blotches of red seemed to cling onto it and drip from it. He felt an uneven rhythm drum against his skin. A distant roar that seemed too similar to a pained yell, but inhuman enough to be a person. There was a black spot in front of him. It swirled like ink, but it vaguely resembled a silhouette. Koda wanted to rub at his eyes so he could see, but he didn’t want to drop whatever was in his arms. The thing came closer, until it stretched out and reached for him. Koda’s scream caught in his throat when everything flared red and hot._

_——_

Koda jolted awake, his head fell from his shoulder, rousing him from his sleep. The window was left open, and a cold breeze blew the lavender curtains about. The moon showered the woods in silver. Koda rubbed his face.

“What a dream,” he mumbled. He must’ve fallen asleep after dumping Orion on a bed in a spare room. He saw shoes thrown onto the floor with little care, and a cloak strewn over a chair. Koda chuckled at his half-assed effort in keeping the room clean. 

Anyhow, he got up, stretched and shut the window. He stopped to gaze at his reflection in the glass. He saw messy black curls and a blotchy red patch on his cheek from where he slept on it. His mother’s voice swirled around him. He touched the cold glass of the window. For a split second, Koda swore he saw his mother’s eyes. The glass showed nothing but a reflection. “I’ll find you,” Koda whispered his promise to the forest; the stars; to anyone listening, before pushing everything away.

Orion lay on the bed, still unconscious. The mark on his arm shrunk, and the colour faded slightly. Koda sighed. _Someday I’m going to actually kill someone, for real._

He was too reckless for his own good. Often he was perceived as someone who didn’t care much for other people. Koda never denied it, but he never intentionally tried to hurt anyone. Too badly anyway. 

Every time, he wanted to yell, and thrash and throw punches, to just do _something_ that could take away the gnawing feeling in him. Only this time it seemed unexplainably stronger. He chose to ignore it, like always. Instead, Koda left the room and trudged through the seemingly endless hallway in search of anyone he could pester at this ungodly hour.

The kitchen seemed inviting, and the low growl of Koda’s stomach lured him towards it. He ambled towards the overhead cupboards in search for something to eat.

The jingle of a silver bell caught Koda’s attention. His eyes darted to Blanca, sitting elegantly on the windowsill. He jumped at the sight of his cat staring directly at him, unmoving. It was like she could see through him—which she probably could. Sometimes Blanca seemed more intimidating him more than the monsters lurking in the woods.

“How are you?” Koda asked, breaking the silence. Their staring competition was getting nowhere.

_“_ **_Fine._ ** _”_

“You’re staying in that form?”

_“_ **_I find this to be quite entertaining._ ** _”_

“Being a cat? Haven’t you been a cat for, what? Ten years?”

She blinked slowly, her fluffy white tail flicked behind her. _“_ ** _That’s true, but I enjoy the difference,_** _”_ she said.

Koda shuffled through the cupboards again. He pulled out a box of chocolate chip cookies and dug his hand into the packet.

_“_ ** _What are your thoughts on Orion?_** _”_ She asked suddenly.

Koda stopped his movements. “What do you mean?”

Blanca’s tail swept from side to side, awaiting an answer.

“I haven’t known him for long,” Koda shrugged, flinging cookie crumbs across the counter. “How am I supposed to know?”

He wiped his sleeve across the marble surface. “And what about you? You seem awfully attached to him.”

_“_ ** _He’s different_**. _”_

“How so?” Koda asked as he carefully placed the box back onto the shelf. 

_“_ **_I’ll leave that up to you to find out._ ** _”_

“Keeping secrets now, huh?”

Blanca remained silent. Koda scoffed. He moved to sit on the couch beside the window. He felt something press against his back, and moved to see his satchel squashed behind him. He reached into the bag to see what he had brought. He pulled out a bottle of catnip. Koda could feel Blanca’s interest piquing. He uncorked it and threw a pinch in the general direction of the window. Blanca’s bell twinkled, and her purrs seemed to vibrate the whole house. Then his hand grazed two small objects, they turned out to be the potions he’d packed.

He didn’t feel particularly tired, so Koda found himself drifting into the library. He pulled out his glasses and shoved them onto his face. He hated it, needing to wear something because his stupid eyes decided to grow differently. Koda’s farsightedness annoyed him to no end, but alas, the stupid glasses must be worn. He could probably make a potion to do something, but it would most likely do more damage in the long run. A lot of them had bizarre side effects. Koda didn’t need a repeat of the fur incident. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl. 

He scanned the titles, looking for something that could entertain him, or bore him enough. Eventually, he settled on a small story book, with the moon to keep him company.

——

Koda’s eyelashes fluttered as a gentle thump was heard next to him. He squinted at the brightness of the room, the distant chirp of birds filling the quiet with a tuneless melody. He felt something shift on top of him. When he came to his senses he realised he was no longer in the library, but instead, lying in a bed. He couldn’t recall when he fell asleep, but it must’ve been quick because he didn’t remember reading much of the book. The yellow blanket was pushed away as Koda stood and stretched. The pale white curtains weren’t drawn, and thus drowned the room in sunlight. His glasses were sat on the nightstand beside him. He looked to the other end of the bed, then under it, noticing Blanca (miraculously) still asleep after tumbling off. Koda gently placed her back onto the soft sheets before she got uncomfortable.

Her eyes opened slowly. 

“Sorry, did I wake you?” Koda smiled. Blanca stretched on the sheets. Her ears twitched and she set her sights on the window. With a leap she landed on the windowsill.

“What? You wanna go outside?” Koda asked with amusement.

She nodded, shaking her bell.

“That’s a first.” 

He opened the window anyway, and Blanca hopped out.

Koda wandered aimlessly down the hallway, passing several windows and various paintings. He slowed to a stop before a particular door. It was a brown wooden one, much like all the others he had passed. Koda squinted at the sun beaming into the house and onto his face. It illuminated the dust drifting through the air like small specks of gold. Something felt wrong. A sense of dread filled Koda, as if this were the calm before the storm. He took a breath in, the earthly smell was dull. He then reached for the brass doorknob, twisted it slowly, and opened the door.

The room itself was still, except for the soft sound of breathing coming from Orion. Koda wasn’t exactly sure what had drawn him to this room. He had no particular reason to pay this unconscious boy a visit, but he felt the need to at least see how he was doing. Not that he could do much, anyway. It felt odd, to watch someone sleep, but he knew that Orion wasn’t just sleeping. A horrid sense of regret filled Koda’s mind. He shut the door behind him with a small click as he left. The feeling unsettled him immensely, and he hated it.

He could see the demon again, like flashes of images around him. The darkness. The cold, emptiness of its body, and Orion floating inside. Koda shuddered. He removed his hand from the brass knob as he muttered a small sorry to the door.

The nearby caw of a raven tore the silence.


	4. Chapter 4

**Orion**

  


The last thing he saw was the shield cracking, then a flash of pure darkness before it engulfed him. He remembered being inside the monster, and he could see Koda standing, watching him. He kicked and struggled, trying to get someone to help, or to get himself out. His hair drifted around him wildly and it was getting in his eyes. He blinked, trying to reorientate himself.

  


He sealed his lips shut, but the strong currents of the sloshing liquid began to pry them apart. He was in desperate need of air, and he spluttered as his mouth was forced open. His eyelids grew heavy, too heavy to keep open. He struggled against the force, but the lack of oxygen was getting to him. His head spun and his vision blurred. More black liquid forced its way into his mouth it slid uncomfortably down the back of his throat. It was the last thing he felt as his grasp on reality loosened.

  


——

  


He floated aimlessly through the darkness. There was no light, and no sound. His voice was gone, and he’d spent the first hour or so screaming and thrashing about to no avail. His throat was raw and painful, but he ignored it. Orion tucked his knees in close to his chest so he could at least feel something, _anything._ His fingers grew numb from clutching to his legs so tight. His sleeves were wet and he shivered slightly. He wasn’t sure how long it’s been, but it was definitely more than just a few hours.

  


A distant echo alerted him, his head shot up as it travelled through the nothingness surrounding him. There it was again. An echo of what sounded like footsteps. He saw a glint in the distance. A white spark. His heart began to hammer and his breathing became shallow. The white dot expanded and grew, and he soon realised he was being pushed toward it. It was a room, the luminous space stood out distinctively against the deep black.

  


White tiles adorned the walls with a dull grey ceiling. He unfurled himself from his curled up position and his foot touched the floor. His body was pulled into the room with a firm tug through a large crack in the wall.

  


In it was a single, white table. On it sat a clear glass vase, filled halfway with water. A black rose was placed in the vase, it’s thorns sharp and threatening beneath the pretty petals. He felt drawn to it. The lonely rose contrasted against the stark white walls. It stuck out like a sore thumb. He stepped closer and carefully and reached out for the vase. 

  


Orion’s fingertips gently grazed the glass, and a burst of colour ignited before him. He shot backwards, retracting his hand as the colours began to swirl around him, then faded away abruptly.

“What?” Orion found his voice again, it came out raspy and pained. He immediately bursted into a fit of coughs. He collapsed into the corner of the room, his back slamming into the wall. 

  


There was no response. Orion wasn’t sure what he was expecting. His limbs were too heavy. He thought it was best to lean against the cool tiles. It helped with the almost unbearable heat.

His head perked up as he heard a small sound. A mumble of words. He peered around the room, eyes narrowing.

  


A sudden melody surrounded him. A hypnotising song drifted through the room. Orion sat in shock, the sound played so suddenly, it took him a moment to realise and process it. The nostalgic lullaby echoed around him. A woman's voice sang the lyrics, her voice growing louder, then softer, like waves crashing against the shore.

  


_Don’t follow lonely spirits,_

_or you’ll be lead astray._

_Stuck inside the forest,_

_every night and day._

  


_Their faces hid;_

_Their footstep quiet;_

_They’ll laugh through the midnight riot;_

  


_Keep your eyes straight on the path,_

_and never look away._

  


“No,” he whispered, the song registering in his head. The haunting melody sounded warped and wrong in so many ways. He tried again, sterner this time. “Stop.”

His hands travelled to his hair, he clutched at it as the song played. The teal gem around his neck began to burn, as if it was trying to sear his skin off.

“Please.” His voice was hoarse.

  


He didn’t know how long he’d sat there, body curled and scorching. The sounds came and went, and he tried to muffle it as much as possible. Images flashed through his head. His room, his mother, a sparkling silver knife.

  


Orion’s eyes flashed to the gaping hole in the wall. The black outside twinkled with white specks of light. They resembled stars in the night sky. Maybe it was his blurred vision, but the white specks began merging together, forming blobs of white. Orion watched, eyes widening as it grew. He only averted his gaze when the light was too blinding. His hands slipped from his hair as the song playing in the background faded with the white. He felt something shift beneath him, a trembled that moved him ever so slightly. 

  


Then he fell. There was no time to utter any sound before the floor of the room vanished. He plummeted down. Orion let out a painful shriek as his legs kicked uselessly at the sudden drop. 

  


His fall was stopped promptly by something soft, yet it still winded him as he collided, knocking all the air from his lungs. Orion felt his body jolt upwards, and suddenly his eyes were open. He didn’t remember closing them. He panted, his heavy breathing made his head whirl.

  


It took a minute for his vision to come back into focus. The fist thing he could see were purple and green. There were a set of eyes looking at him. They sparkled like glitter. Black hair that closely resembles a birds nest. Koda. Koda leaned over him with his hand on Orion’s wrist. They both shared a stunned look, eyes wide, mouth slightly apart. The room was completely still as they regarded each other, seemingly in disbelief.

  


Orion was the first to move. He lifted his trembling arms slowly and grabbed onto the collar of Koda's shirt, to which he responded with a surprised “Oh.” 

  


Orion wasn’t sure what came over him. He had an overwhelming sense that if he didn’t hold on to something tight, he might slip back into that room with the damned rose and the lullaby. Koda was the first thing he saw. 

  


Koda—after a moment of stunned silence—gently pried Orion's hand from his now crinkled shirt. 

  


Eventually, his body stopped shaking.  “You have a fever,” Koda said quietly. “I know you just woke up, but you should rest some more. Your body hasn’t had a break since you passed out.”

Orion gave no response, not even a noise of acknowledgement. He just sat, somewhat dumbfounded and dazed. Koda’s advice had only registered in his mind after he felt a weight lift off the bed.

  


In a flurry of panic, he grabbed onto Koda’s sleeve. He glanced at the emerald and violet as his head began to feel woozy from his fever. Orion was surprised himself, he wasn’t sure what had prompted him to stop Koda, but he didn’t let go. His voice came back after a brief second of quiet.

“Please.” His speech was slurred. “Stay.”

Koda’s expression was unreadable, and Orion silently begged for him to stay. He refused to admit it, but he was scared. The nightmare was so surreal. It left a twisting feeling in his gut. His own expression was—with no doubt—giving away all his thoughts.

Koda seemed to understand. He sat down on the chair beside him. Orion watched Koda snap his fingers, and a book fell into his hand. 

“Sleep,” he simply said, pulling out a pair of black, round-rimmed glasses from nothing. A sparkle of purple and green trailed from the glasses and laced through his fingers before fading. Content, Orion rolled over and closed his eyes as the gentle sound of pages being turned lulled him to sleep.

  


——

  


The next morning, Orion had woken to the sight of Koda sleeping soundly next to him, his soft snoring filled the room. Orion forced back a jolt of surprise as to not wake the sleeping witch, but he definitively did _not_ expect to see Koda so close to him. He yawned and stretched after stepping off the bed. Orion had to steady himself, his fever making him dizzy after standing up so quickly.

  


He glanced to the sleeping figure. Koda had collapsed on top of the covers with his glasses still sitting crookedly on his face. Orion pulled the glasses off gently and set them on the bedside table. He then examined his forearm. It was like the mark was never there. He ran a finger over it. Nothing.

“You shouldn’t be prancing around like that,” Koda’s voice made Orion jump. “You’re still sick.”

  


It was true, Orion did feel groggy and gross, but it wasn’t like he could just go back to sleep with Koda right next to him. That fact didn’t seem to bother the witch at all. He rubbed his face as trailed his hand through his curls. His beaded bracelets catching the sunlight and glittered as he sat up. 

“I’m fine,” Orion bit back.

Koda only shrugged. Orion turned to locate his shoes, which he’d found sitting in the corner of the room.

“Oi, sweetheart,” Koda called from the other side of the bed.

“Don’t call me tha—” his words were cut short as he turned to be hit in the face with fabric.

He pulled them off his head to see clothes.

“Get changed, you smell awful,” Koda sniggered as he fake-gagged. He stepped out of the room before Orion could retort.

  


Holding up the clothes, he examined them. A plain white button up and black trousers. The shirt hung loosely on his body, and the sleeves were slightly too long. 

  


Orion opened the door to see Koda resting against the wall. Blanca emerged from behind him. 

“It’s good to see you back,” she said, her bell chiming. Orion scratched the nape of his neck. He roughly calculated how long he’d been gone for. It couldn’t have been more than a day, but his overheating head was playing tricks with his memories. It felt fuzzy and distant, and he couldn’t seem to form a clear image.

  


Before he could speak, though, Orion felt himself stumble. Lightheaded and dizzy, he tripped forward. His collision with the floor was stopped by a forceful tug to the back of his shirt. 

“Whoa there, pumpkin. I thought you said you were fine.”

Orion groaned, half from his spinning head and half from the stupid nickname. Koda hoisted Orion up, supporting him from under the arm. They made it down the creaking staircase and Koda all but threw Orion onto the sofa. 

  


Blanca seated herself beside Orion, her bushy tail placed gently on his hand. Before them sat the horned girl. Orion couldn’t exactly pinpoint her name. She had her legs crossed, the black rabbit on her shoulder. Her chin was held high and there was a glint in her eye that could intimidate the toughest warriors in Verselles.

“You’re lucky I saved you, human,” she began. Orion flinched, her words were like daggers aimed at him. “If it weren’t for Koda, you wouldn’t be alive now.”

The aforementioned witch wasn’t even in the room. He had fled somewhere. Orion found himself growing more drowsy as the girl spoke.

“I’ll give you a quick rundown of what’s happening. Listen carefully, because I’m not repeating myself. You two are now linked.” Orion tried his best to focus on her voice. “Which means you have Koda’s aura in you as you heal.”

“Aura?” Orion asked like an idiot. Blanca’s fur tickled his hand.

She sighed. “His magic.”

“So you mean, Koda is _inside_ me?”

There was a loud cackle from behind Orion, and Koda strolled in, giggling like a school girl.

“Yes, inside you, however you wish to interpret it—stop laughing,” the horned girl said as Koda started wheezing, clearly annoyed. She stroked the rabbits fur with aggression. “Anyway, you two are now linked, so you two need to stay relatively close to each other until the spell wears off after the human—”

“Orion,” Orion couldn’t help but interrupt. Being called ‘human’ made him extremely uncomfortable.

“Fine, whatever. The spell will wear off after _Orion_ has healed.”

“Wait,” Orion gestured with his hands. “You’re telling me, I have to stay with _him—_ ” he pointed to Koda. “Until I’m better?”

“Don’t be so ungrateful, you little brat,” Koda quipped. “I saved your life.”

Orion groaned as he fell back onto the homemade cushions. “How long will it take?”

The girl twirled a price of her raven black hair. “That depends on your body. It could be anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.”

He buried his face in his hands.

“Aren’t you homeless anyway?” Koda asked.

“What?”

“Your home was destroyed, remember?”

“Oh,” Orion mused. He sat up straighter. “That’s right.”

“Well, I’ll let you stay at my place, and you’ll owe me after that.”

Orion supposed he didn’t have much choice. Owing a witch, however, was an extremely dangerous thing. Koda held out his hand. Orion looked from it to his face. “What?”

“Shake it.” He gestured for Orion to take it. Orion raised a brow. Koda groaned when he didn’t move. “Preferably in this lifetime, pumpkin. My arm’s getting tired.”  
Koda’s firm grip tightened as Orion took his hand. A loop of green and purple slithered out from between their palms and wrapped around their clasped hands. The beads on Koda’s bracelets sparkled brighter, and Koda’s crescent moon necklace shimmered. He held an easy smile on his face, but Orion could see the strain beneath it. 

  


His palm began to heat, and it crawled up Orion’s arm and spread through his chest. The light finally faded as the heat teetered between hot and burning. “And the deal has been made,” Koda said, letting go. Orion looked down at his palm, where a small one was imprinted on his wrist.

Orion was not impressed. “Wonderful. Another mark.”

  


“Well, let’s get going. Thanks for letting us stay, Quinn.” Koda dusted off his shirt.

She crossed her arms. “I’ll see you around, then.” She retreated back to a different room promptly after. 

Her familiar waved goodbye as they departed with the streams of emerald and amethyst, where Orion took in one last breath as they leapt into the darkness.

  


The reassuring feeling of touch pulled him along until he could see the vine covered walls and colourful tapestries. The damp forest air drifted around him with crickets and frogs chirping about. Koda pulled him inside just as the first downpour of rain began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Just a note, I'm not very good at keeping deadlines so the chapters won't be updated at a regular time. Oops. I'll try my hardest to keep it going as quick as I can. Please consider leaving a comment or kudos, it'll really help me out!


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